Buk Kyung II in Allston is pretty solid Korean style Chinese. The jjajangmyun is excellent, as well as their jjampong. Their paejun isn't the best, but ok. I'd get the tangsuyuk (fried pork in sweet sauce) instead and make sure you're ready to eat it while it's hot.

If you're really wanting the best Korean food that Massachusetts has to offer, go to Woo Jung in Ayer. They make their own noodles and I would eat there every day if I could.

I know a lefty that used the left-handed Shuns. I used them too as a righty and really had no problems. However, I agree w/ Cynic and you're probably better off just getting a solid knife that isn't "handed."

Sorry for the late reply (was busy moving from New Mexico to Chicago)! Thanks for the information and feedback on the oysters. That explains a lot, and hopefully next time I'm in Paris, I will be able to enjoy some.

Last year, I also was not able to thank the France board for your help. So a very late thank you for your help in fall 2012. I ended up breaking my arm (long story), and had to cut my trip short and never got to thank everyone or report.

I definitely plan on going back, so thank you for the recommendation. I didn't get to have enough of the food from places outside of St. Julian's and Sliema. I especially want to explore more places where the chef has more control and are less "touristy."

Also, for future Malta eaters, I think it's important to mention that several restaurants are closed on Sundays and Mondays.

I spent 3 days in Malta, staying at the Hilton in St Julian's. The hotel breakfast was good, and had lots of the local cheese, including at the omelet station. The Sunday lunch looked spectacular, but we were headed out for some sightseeing.

Wigi's - St. Julian's - Best meal during our stay. I had the meagre, and my friend had the tuna. They were both absolutely delicious. We started out w/ fried calamari, which also was very good. I feel like we should have eaten here every night. Also, the staff was superb and very friendly.

The Avenue - St. Julian's - This we did on our first night, since we arrived late and it was open. We had the mussels to start and I got the seafood linguini. The pasts was good. I was surprised to see something that was this big of a restaurant put out good food. It may not have been the best, but it was still quite good.

Italian restaurant across from Cafe Cuba (I want to say it began with a G) near the point in Sliema - Had the focaccia, which was like a pizza with basil on it. I still liked it. We also had the rabbit spaghetti, which was delicious. Rabbit was tender and the pasta was good.

Zeri's - St. Julian's - Octopus carpaccio was nice, and had a nice brightness from the orange. Mussels and clams appetizer was good, but have had better broth. My seafood linguini was delicious, but I love this stuff and having lived in New Mexico for the past two years, I shamelessly will order shellfish and dishes that get me the most shellfish as much as possible. My friend had grouper, which was cooked quite well. I thought the restaurant was great as a convenient choice close to the hotel.

Quarterdeck Bar at the Hilton - Got the cheese plate, which was huge and had plenty of local cheeses. We finished most of it. We also had the calamari, which was very similar to the calamari I had on bocadillos in Madrid.

Missed out on a good cannoli here, as all the ones I saw were pre-filled, so I didn't get one.

I went with a Paris first-timer last week for 4 days. So, my mission was to hit some of the favorites and mix in some things I haven't had before.

Mary Celeste - Was hoping for happy hour oysters, but was disappointed to find that "they were not in season." We had a couple cocktails each, which were interesting and good. We enjoyed the courgette dish very much.

Cafe des Musees - Headed here since we couldn't fill up on oysters. We got my favorite seat (at the bar), as we were early, but without reservations. Got the classics, steak tartare and the steak frites. Solid as always, and also enjoyed the raspberry tarte (with a crust that tasted like those butter cookies in blue tins).

Angelina - Went here because a friend from work suggested it, and honestly, once I saw there was hot white chocolate, had to go. Hot white chocolate was rich and good. Also figured I should get the Mont-Blanc, which was good, but I don't think I'd go back just for that.

Chez L'Ami Jean - lunch - I got the soup, and couldn't finish it all. They were nice enough to give my friend a bowl for himself so he could help me finish it off. He got the risotto, which was like soupy rice, and different from the risotto with arborio rice. Still good, but not amazing. The pigeon w/ sweetbreads and the braised beef were good and hearty (but maybe a little too salty for me). He got the trio of fig desserts (or something like that), which were ok. I got the riz au lait, which was delicious, but I always just end up spooning the salted caramel straight, which is the best part.

Les Papilles - lunch - We were filling up by this point, but I still hadn't made it here in all my time and trips to Paris, so we went anyway. Just got the main course, braised lamb w/ vegetables. It was the best meal we had during our stay.

Breizh Cafe - dinner - First time here. Crepes were probably the best I've had and really enjoyed them. I got the provencale, and my friend had the chorizo (which looked like pepperoni, but was still pretty good). Anchovies on a crepe was new for me, but really enjoyed it. I also got the pear w/ chocolate for dessert. And since my friend hates anchovies and pears, I didn't have to share. :)

L'As du Falafel - late dinner - Went here for an easy meal and to enjoy a throwback from my grad school days.

Never ended up getting oysters, since I got sick on the day I planned to go to Maubert for them and when I saw the seafood, I felt even more ill. Somehow, magically, I was able to enjoy some comte and tomme de chevre from laurent dubois, some jambon sec from a couple doors down, and a baguette from Eric Kayser.

Jo, I just went to Mary Celeste two nights ago, and they had no oysters as they said they were not in season. I'm headed out to Bastille and Maubert tomorrow in search of them.

I would call ahead to Mary Celeste ot see if they have oysters available as it was a big disappointment. Luckily, we were able to get an early seat at the bar at Cafe des Musees as a replacement for our dinner after a couple drinks at Mary Celeste.

I agree with this about Gibson's. We went there because we are fans of the league and a friend commented on the desserts there. The dessert was certainly massive and fun, but I wouldn't say it was special and high quality with excellent flavor. However, the atmosphere did feel special, and the people watching was superb. :)

We had the chicago classic with added garlic. Usually would be fussing over wanting some more veggies, but in all seriousness, when we decided on deep dish during the Cubs game, we were going for the sausage and cheese. :) Found the crust to be light and crunchy. We finished everything!

Thanks to everyone for all the help for our Chicago trip. It was a success. A quick rundown:

Wed night: Schwa. They called me back when they were scheduling July. Had a great time here. Really enjoyed the ravioli and thought the menu was fun and creative. Glad that we went. It was definitely a special and unusual experience. Kitchen was super friendly and didn't care that I had my luggage w/ me or that one of our friends had to cancel (even tho I had added them to our reservation that day). They were really accommodating and seemed to be quite passionate about their food.

Thurs: Carnivale. Thought the pork shoulder was excellent. Scallops were great as well. Cool atmosphere, although a little more dead than we would have liked for the 4th. There was a wedding going on upstairs. Paella was ok.

Fri: State and Lake Tavern at theWit. Friends had a snack of some roasted potatoes. They said they were good. I had a bite of a cinnamon roll. It was just ok. I decided to save room for Southport and just had a coffee.Southport Grocery. Really enjoyed the pop tart and the brisket and gravy. Wish I could have eaten more. Specialty cocktails were pretty weak I thought. They seemed more for a mike's hard crowd.Lou Malnati's (State Location). Loved our pizza. It hit the spot after the cubs game. Enjoyed having something more low key.Gibson's. Stopped here for a drink and dessert. We had the macadamia nut turtle pie. This was a massive slice of vanilla ice cream cake with a delicious crumbly cinnamon-ey crust layered throughout. As an ice cream fan, this was just what I needed to get me through the weekend. Almost slipped into a food coma after this. Also really loved the people-watching here.

Sat: Do-rite Donuts. Had the pistachio and meyer lemon + the chocolate old fashioned. Both delicious. Coffee was a great as well.Rockit. Had drinks here only. Thought they made a pretty good bloody mary and enjoyed a couple gin fizzes.Purple Pig. Wow, the razor clams were the best I've ever had. Octopus was great too, but wish it was a little more tender. Pork neck gravy was another stand out. Also enjoyed the house made coppa and pork jowl. Thought the pigs ears were good, but nothing special. Cocktails were not mixed well unfortunately.GT Fish and Oyster. Lobster mac and cheese was great. Had several oysters, and they were fantastic. The sauce for the mussels was absolutely phenomenal. Was tempted to lick the cast iron. Grilled artichokes were awesome. Didn't expect to love them so much, but they were so good. If i could had eaten more, I would had ordered more of these. Poke and ceviche were pretty good as well.

Sun. Wanted to go to Bongo Room, but we decided to sleep in and sight see a little. Decided on Little Goat. We had the breakfast spaghetti, the french toast and the parathas burrito. I was a big fan of the breakfast spaghetti. Thought it was a little weird sounding, but as a clam fan, had to try it. The littlenecks in there were fantastic and I loved the briney flavor of the dish. It was unusual, but really worked. Didn't find the burrito to be anything special. Friends loved the french toast and chicken. I found a hair in that one, unfortunately, so that really turned me off. Like the kimchi bloody mary. I usually hate kimchi in all things non-Korean, but this was barely a kimchi flavor, so it worked. The Gage. Had the poutine and a few beers. Poutine was good, but really salty. I haven't had poutine in a couple years and I don't cook w/ a lot of salt, so it kind of hit me hard. I still ate as much as I could, because it was still pretty good.

We loved Chicago, and the people there were so helpful and friendly. The food was fabulous and we were able to try several new drinks and beers. Great city, and will be returning to get my hot dog, popcorn, Sun Wah duck dinner, and whatever else i can fit into my stomach.

Thanks for the recommendations on some breakfast places near the museums. It'll sure be helpful. I miss the Original Pancake House from when I was in Atlanta a while back. So I'll be sure to keep that in mind when deciding on a place! Also, thanks for the tip on admission and the waiting lines warning!

nsxtasy, thanks for your replies. I'll be sure to call ahead to make sure that the places I plan on going to are open. I currently have reservations at Mercat a la Planxa for that very reason for lunch, but I think we're going to want something a little faster. I didn't even think about the French Market places being closed. I'll double check on them too.

Hopefully they'll be open for the tourist traffic. Thank you for the back up patisserie/doughnut suggestions and the wait times for brunch.

I'll actually be taking the morning to jog over to Union Station (as I have a thing for old train stations) and picking up pastries on the way back. I'll be canceling the workout, but it'll be worth it. :)

Thanks for your feedback on Publican. I wasn't sure, as there are so many brunch places to choose from in Chicago. Also, thanks for the pointer on the private table. I'll be sure to request that.

Masha, I'll be sure to reserve the duck for Sun Wah. And thank you for your insight on Schwa. It sounds like a great experience, and we are willing to be flexible and laid back about it. So i'll keep my reservations as back ups and keep my fingers crossed.

I'm coming from NM to meet up with a couple college friends in Chicago for my first trip there, Jul 3-7. We're staying at theWit. Here is what I have planned.

Jul 3 - get in late, head over to Purple Pig 10:30-ish (have back up reservations at HUB 51)

July 4 - Breakfast - Pastries from VanilleLunch/Brunch? (Probably going to be around the Art Institute or Chicago History Museum. Aware of Wildberry, Oasis, Mercat a la Planxa as choices by AI, but anything close to the History Museum?)Dinner - Thinking either Carnivale or The Gage. We're looking for somewhere fun before the fireworks.

July 5 - Brunch before the Cubs game at Southport. Any bars we should go to before/after the game? Also planning on getting a pre-game dog at Murphy's. Dinner - Sun Wah (Is there somewhere we should go in Wrigleyville instead?)

July 7 - Brunch reservations at the Publican (Should we be going somewhere else? Meli? Bongo Room? Will these places have crazy waits?)

Also, I've been trying to Schwa reservations. I called too early last week, and they said yesterday that they don't have any availability. Could it be possible that they don't know if they'll even be open that holiday week?

Thanks in advance. Your threads have been immensely helpful for a newcomer to Chicago.

So I was in Pittsburgh last weekend and thought I'd give my thoughts on Tender, since I haven't seen any posts on it.

We went and I shared the beef on weck, turducken, and poke (with hamachi). I enjoyed all three. I thought the poke was well done and not over marinated. I also thought the turducken was tender and pretty delicious and well-seasoned. The people who shared the beef on weck with me really liked it a lot. I thought it was good, but was missing the horseradish kick I really enjoy. We also got the mac and cheese. I didn't find it to be anything special, so order something else to try.

Overall, I would go again for the poke and maybe to try some other dishes. Some in my group got the lobster rolls and really enjoyed them. I'm always hesitant to get lobster anywhere but coastal New England, since I'm from Massachusetts and therefore can be snobby, but I thought they looked good and were a pretty good portion size. I think you'd have to get at least two dishes per person to be full. The portions were pretty big for small plates. I think that the some of the more normal fare dishes were a little overpriced.

Service was great. Cocktails were good. We were all able to sit at the bar.

Also want to thank you guys on here for mentioning Yo Rita several times on the board. I went there also and really enjoyed the crab and lamb tacos. Drinks were good there as well. They messed up my order (gave me lamb instead of steak), but was happy about it and even gave me the steak taco on top for free.

Great points. I think we'll end up doing Monoprix for cheese that day. We'll be exploring the department groceries with much more time later in the week. I also hear that Laurent Dubois will pack some cheese for home before we take off.

Thank you for all of the very helpful information! Fiance will be excited about the Iberico ham at Da Rosa (as Bellota Bellota will have to wait till later in the week to visit). A Loghja and Oteiza seem like great options and I'm excited to visit them. Thank you so much for the suggestions. Looks like I'll be heading to the Grand Epicerie for cheese, which I am willing to do. I only have a six days and have to make each bite count!

Will absolutely be visiting Laurent Dubois later in the week when it's open!

First of all, thanks for the enormous amounts of useful information I've read to plan my trip, coming up in a couple weeks.

I lived in Paris as a grad student, but now can afford a little more. I'll be taking my fiance and friends sightseeing near Notre Dame on a Monday, and was planning on picnicing that day for lunch. We're staying in the 5th and I'm planning on Eric Kayser for bread, but don't know what is open on Monday for cheese and charcuterie. Any suggestions?

Also, we have lunch reservations at Chez L'Ami Jean and Spring. We'll be sightseeing before and after. I plan on bringing a change of shoes, but is a jacket and/or tie necessary at these places for lunch? I've read mostly posts on dinner. Also, is a jacket/tie suggested for Les Papilles for dinner?